Geneseo's emergency sirens to only be tested once a month

The siren, which traditionally has been tested at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, will now only be tested on the first Tuesday of the month.

Lisa Depies

Geneseo residents won't hear emergency siren testing quite as often.

The siren, which traditionally has been tested at 10 a.m. every Tuesday, will now only be tested on the first Tuesday of the month.

Members of the Geneseo City Council approved the change at their Feb. 12 meeting.

The sirens are used to warn citizens of tornadoes or high winds. The city follows the National Weather Service guideline regarding siren use, said Geneseo police chief Tom Piotrowski.

Other neighboring communities traditionally only test emergency sirens once a month, Piotrowski said changing the Geneseo testing schedule would bring the city more in line with its neighbors.

The city currently has four emergency sirens — one at the corner of Chicago and Route 6, one at Chicago and Ogden, one at Oakwood and Second Street and a fourth in the Richmond Hill area.

The Richmond Hill siren, the city's newest, was installed in the past year.

"The Richmond Hill siren is at a louder decibel (than the others)," said Piotrowski.

The sirens are inspected once a year, and Piotrowski said official recommendations state the sirens only need to be tested once a month.

"If there's an area of town where people can't hear the sirens when they're being tested, we want them to contact us," said Piotrowski.

At the Feb. 12 city council meeting, aldermen also:

• Voted 7-1 to extend the city's drug testing policy to include all non-Fraternal Order of Police employees in quarterly random testing. Alderman Carl Freeman voted against the measure. At the Jan. 22 committee of the whole meeting, Freeman had asked if a policy was in place that covers drug testing should an accident occur. Because such a policy is in place, Freeman said he didn't feel it was necessary to extend the city's drug testing policy.

• Accepted a Layne Water proposal, Phase 1 Geological Reconnaissance Study not to exceed $9,300. The study will look at possibility of adding a fourth city water well.